Apparatus delivering sheets to a tiltable layboy



June 28, 1966 D. c. BEAULIEU ETAL 3,253,265

APPARATUS DELIVERING SHEETS TO A TILTABLE LAYBOY Filed March 11 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIG IB FIG. lb

LEGEND FIG. IA.

FIG la June 28, 1 966 0. c. BEAULIEU ETAL 3,258,255

APPARATUS DELIVERING SHEETS TO A TILTABLE LAYBOY Filed March 11 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 1966 o. c. BEAULIEU ETAL 3,258,265

APPARATUS DELIVERING SHEETS TO A TILTABLE LAYBOY Filed March 11. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FLO June 1966 o. c. BEAULIEU ETAL 3,258,265

APPARATUS DELIVERING SHEETS To A TILTABLE LAYBOY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 11. 1964 United States Patent Office 3,258,265 Patented June 28, 1966 3,258,265 APPARATUS DELIVERING SHEETS TO A TILTABLE LAYBOY Delton C. Beaulieu and Huron C. Brien, Neenah, Wis., assignors to Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 351,170 1 Claim. (Cl. 271-68) The present invention relates generally to machines for acting on sheet material and is particularly directed to a layboy and to apparatus for feeding paper sheets into a layboy. The present invention constitutes an improvement on the sheet feeding mechanism and layboy disclosed in the patent to Delton C. Beaulieu, 2,819,079, issued January 7, 1958.

In the production of stacks of paper sheets from one or more rolls of paper, it has been the practice to feed the continuous length paper to a rotary cutter where it is cut into sheets of predetermined length. These sheets are then fed into a system of conveyor tapes for movement to a stack forming means, such as a layboy. For high speed operation of the cutter, the sheets are slowed down before they enter the layboy in 'order that the edges may not be damaged as the sheets strike the backstop in the layboy which defines the rear edge of the stack being formed. This has been accomplished by slowing down the sheets intermediate the cutter and the layboy so that they overlap each other. For very high speeds of operation, the sheets may be slowed down in a plurality of steps so that the overlap is successively increased, such as is disclosed in the above-mentioned Beaulieu Patent 2,819,079.

For extremely high speeds of operation of the cutter, dilficulties have been had with conventional layboys which are so arranged that cut sheets are discharged horizontally into the layboy and stacked in a vertical pile. This method of delivery to the layboy has presented difficulties in getting the sheets out onto the pile without buckling, particularly when the sheets are long and heavy and are traveling at high speeds. It has been found that floating the sheets by means of air blasts and crimping the sheets slightly longitudinally to provide longitudinal beam action and stiffness in the direction of sheet travel as they enter the layboy are helpful; however, such expedients are relatively diflicult of application and not too effective.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved sheet handling mechanism for preventing such buckling. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a tiltab-le layboy and a downwardly inclined portion of the tape system adjacent the layboy, so that the sheets are discharged somewhat downwardly and onto a skid, or pile of sheets on the skid, that is tilted downwardly out of horizontal position, whereby the sheets do not tend to catch at their leading edges and buckle.

The invention consists of the novel constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above-stated objects, and such other objects, as will be apparent from the fol-lowing description of a preferred form of the invention, illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B, when taken together, constitute a diagrammatic side elevational view of a tilting layboy and a cutter and tape system [for supplying cut paper sheets to the layboy;

FIGS. 1a and lb, when taken together, constitute a diagrammatic side elevational view of a series of cut sheets proceeding through the cutter and tape system to the tilting layboy.

FIG. -2 is a side elevational view of the tilting layboy in vertical position;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the layboy;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the layboy as viewed from the rear; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the layboy in tilted position.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

With reference to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the invention may be seen to comprise, in general, a sheet [feeding machine 13 disposed between a rotary cutter 14 and a layboy 15, the machine 13 being in position to receive sheets from the cutter 14 and place them in the layboy. The cutter 14, machine 13, and layboy 15 are suitably supported in a framework 16 resting on a floor -17.

A pair of web guide rolls 18 and 19, a pair of slitters 20 and 21, a pair of draw rolls 22 and 23, and an additional pair of guide rolls 24 and 25 are positioned between the cutter 14 and supply rolls (not shown) which supply continuous length sheets or Webs A. The guide roll 19 may be of a solid conventional type, and the guide roll 18 may be of a bowed Mount Hope type for spreading the web. The slitters 20' and 21 are of a conventional type for slitting the webs A into a plurality of relatively narrow webs. The rolls 22 and 23 are driven from any suitable power source and pull the webs A from their supply rolls to the cutter 14. The relatively small rolls 24 and 25 are also driven and stabilize the slit Webs A just prior to entrance of the webs into the cutter 14. The webs A pass over bed plates 26, 27, and 28, as shown.

The cutter 14 comprises a stationary bed knife \29 and a knife 30 carried by a rotatable cutter cylinder 31. As the cylinder 31 is rotated, the knife 30 passes across the knife 29 in shearing relationship. The cylinder 31 is provided with an opening 32 therethrough adjacent the knife 30, and pressure air from any suitable source is directed in a stream through the opening 32.

An endless perforated belt 33 is disposed about rolls 34, 35, and 36. One of these rolls is driven so as to move the belt 33 at a speed which is slightly higher than the peripheral speed of the cutter cylinder 31. A vacuum box 37, which is perforated on its upper surface and is connected with any suitable source of vacuum, is disposed beneath the upper reach of the belt 33 between the rolls 34 and 35.

Endless take-off tapes 38 overlie the belt 33. The tapes are disposed about rolls 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44. One of the rolls, such as the roll 42, is driven so as to move the tapes 38 substantially at the speed of the belt 33. It is preferred that the roll 44 be formed with reduced diameter portions to permit the tapes 38 to be elevated somewhat from the lower surface of the roll.

Endless tapes 45 and 46 are positioned below the tapes 38. The tapes 45 are supported on rolls 47, 48, 49, and 50; and the tapes 46 are disposed on rolls 51, 52, and 53. The tapes 45 and 46 are driven at substantially the same speed as the belt 33. The roll 49, for example, may be utilized to drive the tapes 45; and the roll 52, for example, may be utilized to drive the tapes 46. Any suitable conventional switching device 54 may be provided between the rolls 48 and 51 for diverting sheets cut by the cutter 14 downwardly from the tapes 45, if this is desired.

Endless tapes 55 partially underlie the tapes 38. The tapes 55 extend around rolls 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60. The roll 59, for example, may be used for driving the tapes 55, and the roll 59 is driven at such a speed that the tapes 55 move at a relatively slow speed with respect to the tapes 38, 45, and 46. It will be noted that the roll 57 is disposed in close proximity to the roll 44 so that in effect cut sheets carried between the tapes 55 and 38 pass through a loose nip between the rolls 44 and 57.

A system of tapes 61 partially overlie the tape 55. The tapes 61 are supported by rolls 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, and 67. One of the rolls 65 may be utilized for driving the tape 61 at the same speed as the conveyor tapes 55. The roll 67 is a roll of the same type as the roll 44 and is provided with peripheral grooves for receiving the individual tapes 61.

A plurality of tapes 68 underlie the tapes 61. The tapes 68 are supported by means of rolls 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, and 74. The tapes 68 are driven by one of the rolls, such as the roll 73, at a speed which is slower than that of the preceding tapes 55. It will be observed that the roll 70 is located adjacent to the roll 67 so that the rolls 67 and 70 in effect have a loose nip between them through which the tapes 61 and 68 pass. The roll 71 constitutes a support roll for the tapes 61 and 68 providing downwardly extending portions of the tapes 61 and 68 beween the roll 71 and the rolls 66 and 72. The latter two rolls, it will be observed, are located adjacent to each other to have a loose nip between them.

In order that there may be a smooth flow of cut sheets from the cutter 14 to the rolls 66 and 72, the upper stretches of the tapes 46 are preferably located on a level below that of the upper stretches of the tapes 45; the upper stretches of the tapes 55 are located at a lower level than the upper stretches of the tapes 46; and the upper stretches of the tapes 68 between the rolls 69 and 70 are located at a level lower than the upper stretches of the tapes 55. The upper stretches of the belt 33 and tapes 45 are substantially horizontal, and the upper stretch of the belt 33 is located at a level somewhat below that of the stationary knife 29. Air nozzles 75 and 76 are preferably located to discharge pressure air respectively over the rolls 56 and 69, and ozone emitters 77 and 78 are preferably located adjacent the nozzles 75 and 76 for reducing the static electricity on the cut sheets passing onto the tapes 55 and 68, respectively. Edge turning cams 79 are preferably located above the roll 52 for the purpose of turning the edges of the cut sheets upwardly slightly so as to make the cut sheets passing onto the tapes 55 slightly channeled for lengthwise rigidity.

The layboy '15 comprises two channels 80 and two channels 81 on opposite sides of the layboy. The channels 80 are connected together by means of a channel 82, and the channels 81 are connected together by means of a channel 83. The channels 81 are also connected together by means of a bracket 84. The channels 80, 81, 82, and 83 constitute a frame for the layboy.

The layboy frame is tiltably mounted by means of pivot pins 85 and 86 which are fixed respectively to ends of the channels 82 and 83 and which are rotatably disposed in bearings 87 and 88. The bearings 87 and 88 are carried by stationary beams 89 and 90.

The tilt of the layboy frame about the pivot pins 85 and 86 is determined by hydraulic cylinder-piston assemblies 91 and 92 on opposite sides of the layboy frame. The assembly 91 is connected between one of the channels 80 and a stationary beam 93, and the assembly 92 is connected between one of the channels 81 and a stationary beam 94.

A platform 95 is provided for vertical movement within the layboy frame. The platform is provided with rollers 96 disposed between the flanges of the channels 80 and is provided with rollers 97 disposed between the flanges of the channels 81, the rollers 96 and 97 being respectively carried by arms 98 and 99 fixed to the platform.

The platform 95 is suspended in selected vertical positions within the layboy frame by means of cables 100 that are wound on drums 101 and 102. The drums 101 are fixed on a shaft 103 that is rotatably disposed in journals 184 carried by the channels and 81, and the drums 182 are fixed on a shaft 105 that is rotatably disposed in journals 106 carried by the other channels 80 and 81. A sprocket 107 is fixed on the end of the shaft 183, and a sprocket 108 is fixed on the end of the shaft 105. A drive motor 109 is mounted on the bracket 84 and carries sprockets 110 and 111. A drive chain 112 extends over the sprockets 107 and 110, and a drive chain 113 extends over the sprockets 111 and 108.

A backstop plate 114 is swingably mounted on the ends of the channels 82 and 83. The stop plate may be swung from its position illustrated in FIG. 3 parallel with the channels 80 and 81 to its position illustrated in FIG. 2 parallel with the beams 82 and 83 by means of a hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly 115. The assembly 115 is pivotally fixed at one end to an arm 116 that is fixed with respect to the stop plate 114 and is pivotally fixed at its other end to one of the channels 81.

A skid 117 having a flat top surface and comprising a pair of crosswise extending sup-port members 118 may be disposed .on the platform 95 for supporting a pile of paper 119.

In operation, a continuous length of paper from one or more supply rolls is moved by the action of the draw rolls 22 and 23 and is cut into sheets of predetermined uniform lengths by the cutter 14. The draw rolls are driven to have at least the same peripheral speed as the cutter cylinder 31; and, if desired, the draw rolls may be driven at faster peripheral speeds than the cutter cylinder 31 in order to increase the length of the cut sheets. The paper passes over the support rolls 18 and 19 and is spread to its full width by the spreader roll 18, and the web is slit into a number of widths by the slitters 20 and 21. The rolls 24 and 25 stabilize the slit webs just prior to entrance of the webs into the cutter 14. The cutter is operative as the cylinder 31 rotates, and the knives 29 and 30 out each time the knives come into contact.

The belt 33 and the tapes 45, 46 and 38 are all driven at the same speed, which is slightly greater than the peripheral speed of the draw rolls 22 and 23. The tapes 55 and 61 are driven at the same speed which is relatively slow with respect to the speeds of the tapes 38 and 46, and the tapes 68 are driven at still slower speeds. As an example, the belt 33 and tapes 45, 46, and 38 may be driven at 2,000 feet per minute; the tapes 55 and 61 may be driven at 1,000 feet per minute; and the tapes 68 may be driven at 200 feet per minute.

The cut sheets pass onto the perforated belt 33 and are held onto the belt by means of the vacuum box 37 disposed beneath the belt. The belt 33 being driven at a slightly higher speed than the peripheral speed of the draw rolls causes successive sheets provided by the cutter 14 to be spaced from each other. The cut sheets pass along with and are propelled by the belt 33 beneath the tapes 38, and the sheets subsequently pass onto the tapes 45 and 46. The tapes 38, 45, and 46 travel at the same speed and hold the cut sheets, separated from each other, between the tapes. The sheets then pass onto the tapes 55. The separation that exists between the sheets as they pass over the belt 33 and over the tapes 45 and 46 is illustrated by the sheets a, b, and c which are the last ones leaving the cutter as illustrated in FIG. 1a.

As each sheet passes off the tapes 46 and onto the tapes 55 and as it reaches the rollers 44 and 57, there is an initial reduction in the speed of the sheet, particularly as it is gripped between the roller 44 and the tapes 55, in view of the fact that the tapes 55 are traveling slower than the tapes 38. This action produces an initial overlap as each succeeding sheet, which is being propelled at a faster rate by the tapes, moves across the trailing edge of the next preceding sheet. The overlap that exists at this place in the machine is shown by the overlap of sheets d, e and f.

As each sheet is moved along, it drops down onto the second system of slow speed tapes 68 and is again retarded, particularly as its leading edge is gripped between the rolls 67 and 70. This permits the succeeding sheet to move forwardly relative to the sheet being retarded by the rolls 67 and 70 and tapes 68. Thus, the sheets are overlapped to a greated degree, and the rate of travel of the overlapped sheets is decreased to the speed of the tapes 68. The overlap that exists at this place in the machine is indicated by the overlap of the sheets in the traveling pile A of sheets located on the tapes 68.

The overlapped sheets in the pile A pass down the inclined stretches of the tapes 61 and 68 between the roll 71 and the rolls 66 and 72, and they then pass onto the skid 117 carried by the platform 95 of the layboy 15. The layboy is tilted at this time as shown in FIG. 5, and the platform 95 is raised so that the skid 117 is just slightly below the roll 72 as seen in FIG. 5. The backstop plate 114 is in its position illustrated in FIG. 5, parallel with the channels 80 and 81, and the plate 114 stops the movement of the sheets and builds up the rear side of the pile 119. As the sheets continue to pass into the layboy 15, the pile 119 of sheets is built up; and the platform 95 is lowered, as need be, so that the top level of the pile 119 remains slightly below the level of the roll 72. This is done by energizing the motor 109 to rotate the cable drums 101 and 102 to so lower the platform 95. The position of the platform 95 is stabilized with respect to the channels 80 and 81 by means of the rollers 96 and 97 carried by the platform 95 and rotatably disposed between the flanges of the channels 80 and 81.

As sheets are discharged in overlapped relation into the layboy 15 from the tapes 68 and 61, the layboy is tilted substantialy as shown in FIG. 5 as has just been mentioned. The sheets are discharged downwardly from the declining stretches of the tapes 61 and 68 between the roll 71 and rolls 66 and 72, and the sheets continue their descending movement with little change in direction onto the declining top surface of the skid 117 or onto the corresponding declining top surface of the pile 119 produced by the tilt given to the layboy 17. The leading edges of the overlapped sheets thus do not have a tendency to catch onto the skid 117 or onto the top of the pile 119, and the force of gravity is utilized to float the overlapped sheets in the downwardly sloping path into slipping contact with the skid 117 or the pile 119 carried by the skid.

When a sheet pile 119 of suflicient height is accumulated in the layboy 15, the cutter 14 and tapes are stopped. The layboy 15 is then titlted back into vertical position, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, with the channels 80 and 81 extending vertically, by suitably energizing the pistoncylinder assemblies 91 and 92. The platform 95 is then lowered onto the floor 17 by actuating the motor 109. The backstop 114, which holds the cut sheets as they move down onto the skid 117 or onto the pile 119, is then swung outwardly out of the way by energizing the piston-cylinder assembly 115; and the skid 117, together with the pile of sheets 119, is removed from the platform 95 by any suitable means, such as by means of a fork lift truck.

A new skid 117 is then placed upon the pltform 95, and the platform is raised so as to bring its level approximately to the level of the roll 72, by appropriately energizing the motor 109 to rotate the drums 101 and 102. The layboy frame comprising the channels 80 and 81 is then again tilted by energizing the piston-cylinder assemblies 91 and 92 to again bring the frame into the position illustrated in FIG. 5, and the cutter and tape system are then again started in operation to begin a new pile of sheets.

The tilting layboy permits delivery of the cut sheets at a downward angle, with the sheets floating sidewardly and downwardly into the layboy without a substantial change in direction of the sheets as their forward edges strike the skid 117 or the top of the pile 119, thus using the force of gravity to aid in the delivery by immediately letting the forward edges fall downwardly into position over previously piled sheets. High speed discharge of the sheets without sheet catching and pile-up is thus attained. The tilting layboy substantially reduces damage to the edges of the sheets traveling into the layboy and a better aligned pile of sheets is formed in the layboy due to the fact that the sheets travel downwardly in about the same direction as the tilt of the layboy. This is particularly true in the case which is illustrated, in which there is a very substantial overlap of sheets in a relatively thick pile of sheets A traveling simultaneously into the layboy.

We wish it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific constructions, arrangements and devices shown and described, except only insofar as the claim may be so limited, as it will be understood to those skilled in the art that changes may be made without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a sheet handling system, the combination of stationary supporting floor, a fixed frame resting on said floor, a tape system mounted on said frame and having a stretch of tapes declined with respect to the horizontal for discharging sheets therefrom, a layboy having a generally vertical frame which is tiltably mounted on said fixed frame and which is spaced a substantial distance above said floor, a platform providing a surface for receiving the sheets discharged and accumulating a pile of the sheets thereon and movably mounted for vertical movement in said tiltable frame and of such construction that it may be lowered to rest flat on said floor when said tiltable frame is vertical, supporting mechanism for raising and lowering said platform within said tiltable frame, means for tilting said tiltable frame whereby said surface may be selectively tilted to be in the same general declination as said stretch of tapes so that sheets discharging from said tape stretch may discharge onto said surface at generally the same declination and whereby said surface may be leveled and located adjacent to said floor when said platform is lowered onto said floor with said tiltable frame being in vertical position for easy unloading of sheets from said surface, a backstop carried by said tiltable frame and located opposite from said stretch of tapes and along an edge of said surface remote from said tapes for retaining the sheets on said surface and forming one side of the pile of sheets thereon, and means for moving said backstop upwardly for facilitating the removal of a stack of sheets from said surface References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 319,458 6/1885 Cottrell 271-88 X 1,773,977 8/1930 Eriksen 2'71-88 1,880,418 10/1932 Carroll 83-94 2,101,328 12/1937 Broadmeyer 271-68 2,300,863 11/1942 Bamford 271-68 2,327,103 8/1943 Gude 83-94 2,381,430 8/1945 Belluche 271-68 2,527,911 10/ 1950 Buccicone 271-68 2,971,415 2/1961 Gibson 83-94 3,046,010 '7/ 1962 Schneider 271-88 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner. A. N. KNOWLES, Assistant Examiner. 

